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Superman: Lost #1-10
Superman: Lost
When a routine Justice League mission goes awry, Superman must make a 20 year journey home. But he feels like a stranger when he returns to a world where no time has passed at all.
After Superman is called away on a routine Justice League mission, Lois Lane awakens to find a complete stranger standing in her living room. The Man of Steel, home much sooner than expected, reveals he has, in fact, been lost in space for 20 years.
Nothing and no one seem familiar to him anymore. The timeless bond between them has been severed...or has it? Can love conquer all?
As Superman struggles to re-enter his life on Earth, follow the story of his epic 20-year Odyssey home.
After Superman is called away on a routine Justice League mission, Lois Lane awakens to find a complete stranger standing in her living room. The Man of Steel, home much sooner than expected, reveals he has, in fact, been lost in space for 20 years.
Nothing and no one seem familiar to him anymore. The timeless bond between them has been severed...or has it? Can love conquer all?
As Superman struggles to re-enter his life on Earth, follow the story of his epic 20-year Odyssey home.
248 pages, Paperback
Published August 13, 2024
24 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Christopher J. Priest
1,058 books188 followersFormerly (before 1993) known as James or Jim Owsley.
Christopher James Priest is a critically acclaimed novelist and comic book writer. Priest is the first African-American writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics. His groundbreaking Black Panther series was lauded by Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice and will serve as the basis for the 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaption.
Besides Black Panther, Priest has written comics for Conan, Steel, Green Lantern, The Crew and edited The Amazing Spider-Man. He also co-created Quantum & Woody along with Mark Bright and co-founded Milestone Media.
After a decade long hiatus he is currently writing comic books again and recently concluded a stint writing the comic book Deathstroke (2016-2019).
In addition to being a writer, Christopher J. Priest is also a baptist minister.
Christopher James Priest is a critically acclaimed novelist and comic book writer. Priest is the first African-American writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics. His groundbreaking Black Panther series was lauded by Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice and will serve as the basis for the 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaption.
Besides Black Panther, Priest has written comics for Conan, Steel, Green Lantern, The Crew and edited The Amazing Spider-Man. He also co-created Quantum & Woody along with Mark Bright and co-founded Milestone Media.
After a decade long hiatus he is currently writing comic books again and recently concluded a stint writing the comic book Deathstroke (2016-2019).
In addition to being a writer, Christopher J. Priest is also a baptist minister.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
August 7, 2024
I love the concept and the idea but to me the execution was horrible. It should been a story arc of perhaps 3 or 4 issues. No need to stretch it out to 19. There were way too many instances of inconsistencies that just didn’t make any sense - such as Lois going to Luthor for help, instead of Bruce Wayne/Batman or any of a hundred different individuals?!? I really wanted to enjoy this series but was very disappointed.
August 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I had to give it 5 stats because I could not put the book down. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. I am not sure about all the theoretical science, but it did sound cool.
On a mission with the Justice League, something goes wrong. Superman returns home in what seems like a couple of hours, but for him, it has been over 20 years. Where has he been? Who has he met? Has he found a new home and made a new life? With all this, how is he supposed to fit back into his old life? Even his old love?
This is a true struggle in Superman style of either doing the right thing for himself or the right thing for everyone. A very emotionally charged story. All the side characters play their parts perfectly, especially Lois. The book finishes with character sketches.
On a mission with the Justice League, something goes wrong. Superman returns home in what seems like a couple of hours, but for him, it has been over 20 years. Where has he been? Who has he met? Has he found a new home and made a new life? With all this, how is he supposed to fit back into his old life? Even his old love?
This is a true struggle in Superman style of either doing the right thing for himself or the right thing for everyone. A very emotionally charged story. All the side characters play their parts perfectly, especially Lois. The book finishes with character sketches.
November 27, 2024
Superman gets the Tom King, not-quite-Elseworlds self-contained character study limited series, only by a different writer and ultimately not nearly as entertainingly.
The White Suit is pretty snazzy, must be admitted.
It wasn't all bad but some of the pretentious chapter titles and timey-wimey resolution could have been avoided. I liked the art throughout except for one chapter featuring Supes in a wheelchair drawn by a different penciller.
For Super-completionists, mostly.
The White Suit is pretty snazzy, must be admitted.
It wasn't all bad but some of the pretentious chapter titles and timey-wimey resolution could have been avoided. I liked the art throughout except for one chapter featuring Supes in a wheelchair drawn by a different penciller.
For Super-completionists, mostly.
January 2, 2025
Never got involved with the plot or characters at any given time. Way too long and wordy for what it’s worth.
Art is very good though and the white costume is awesome.
Art is very good though and the white costume is awesome.
September 8, 2024
Picked this up because I didn’t have to be caught up on current comics to read it. It was just okay. The ending was a little confusing with . Wouldn’t un-read this, wouldn’t re-read.
August 4, 2024
A dupla responsável pela melhor fase de um gibi do Exterminador da existência, e também responsável por uma fase inédita do Adão Negro, Christopher Priest e Carlo Pagulayan, desenvolvem um conto de superação e reabilitação em Superman: Perdido. A história poderia ser uma homenagem ao exílio do Superman no espaço após a fase John Byrne, mas ela é muito mais grandiosa, mais profunda, mais inventiva do que qualquer outra viagem feita pelo Superman através do cosmos. Se quisermos podemos até fazer paralelos entre uma civilização alienígena e o futuro do planeta terra, numa narrativa circular como Superman: Entre a Foice e o Martelo. Eu gostei tanto dessa história que arriscaria dizer que é um dos melhores quadrinhos do Superman feitos nessa década. Ele também trabalha as relações do Superman com Lois Lane e com Lex Luthor, de uma forma que não queremos desgrudar do gibi até chegarmos até o final. E a arte de Carlo Pagulayan dispensa apresentações, dados os belos trabalhos que fez em Planeta Hulk e na revista em quadrinhos do Exterminador. Recomendo muito Superman: Perdido.
January 8, 2025
A very disappointing Supes book
January 21, 2025
This was average and underwhelming. Not to mention the ending got muddied with all the different possible outcomes involving Luthor????
May 27, 2024
This was great; an almost-but-not-quite classic Superman story, at least for me, but still consistently great. Priest and Pagulayan understand that Superman is at his best and most interesting not when he has to fight a powerful enemy, but get out of an impossible situation. When your character is as powerful as a god, it’s not enough to give them a punching bag—if you want real drama, give them a problem only they can solve. While part of me wishes the story in this book was a little tighter in some areas, as Priest introduces quite a few threads that don’t all hit as hard as others, each new element has a purpose and effectively pokes at different parts of Superman’s psyche. The supporting cast is equally as strong, and I like how Priest writes Lois and Luthor. The latter doesn’t come into the story until the latter half, and his presence doesn’t always feel necessary, but he acts as a terrific foil for Lois’ role in the plot, and Priest clearly understands what makes him such a compelling, chilling villain. Some of the other supporting characters are less impressive but no less interesting in the roles they play in Superman’s story. It’s a story of terrific ideas executed really well, and even when the plot gets shaky, there’s enough going on that works to keep it from collapsing.
Carlo Pagulayan’s artwork is also great, succeeding in the spectacle just as well as the characterizations and expressions. The substitute artists that come in occasionally, especially in the final issues, are fine, but the change in style doesn’t have much narrative purpose and isn’t as seamless as I’d like. It’s unfortunate that the road to the conclusion—where the plot is at its densest and most slippery—is ever-so-slightly affected by artwork that disrupts the momentum.
But yeah, I liked this a lot. It’s a story occupying a similar space to Tom King’s Up in the Sky, which is exactly where I want my Superman stories to be. The storytelling doesn’t quite stick all its landings, but the emotional, thematic, and dramatic underpinnings are strong enough to make the journey worthwhile. I’ll definitely be adding the collected edition to my shelf.
Carlo Pagulayan’s artwork is also great, succeeding in the spectacle just as well as the characterizations and expressions. The substitute artists that come in occasionally, especially in the final issues, are fine, but the change in style doesn’t have much narrative purpose and isn’t as seamless as I’d like. It’s unfortunate that the road to the conclusion—where the plot is at its densest and most slippery—is ever-so-slightly affected by artwork that disrupts the momentum.
But yeah, I liked this a lot. It’s a story occupying a similar space to Tom King’s Up in the Sky, which is exactly where I want my Superman stories to be. The storytelling doesn’t quite stick all its landings, but the emotional, thematic, and dramatic underpinnings are strong enough to make the journey worthwhile. I’ll definitely be adding the collected edition to my shelf.
June 13, 2024
Durant une journée banale, Superman est appelé sur une mission banale. Lorsqu'il revient quelques heures plus tard auprès de Lois, il ne semble plus lui-même : il lui affirme que pour lui il n'est pas parti 2h mais 20 ans.
Un point de départ très intriguant et un récit très émotionnel et riche, mais parfois un peu confus car on est, de manière étonnante, dans de la hard SF.
Un point de départ très intriguant et un récit très émotionnel et riche, mais parfois un peu confus car on est, de manière étonnante, dans de la hard SF.
January 6, 2025
I've been meaning to read this for a long time now and finally got round to it. I was honestly expecting a completely different story but I'm happy with what we got. I think it could have been shorter or some things could have been done different for there to be more of a connection with the characters introduced in this but overall it's pretty solid and the ending was something i didn't see coming. Felt very interstellar which was cool. Also the art absolutely rocks so that's always a positive
July 6, 2025
Superman goes off on a mission and returns an hour or so later only to reveal to Lois he's been gone 20 years.
It's a cool concept, particularly things like Clark having to force himself not to hold his breath while sleeping next to Lois because he'd spent years having to do it while lost in space.
The story itself didn't do a lot for me, I think because it ends up feeling very long.
It's a cool concept, particularly things like Clark having to force himself not to hold his breath while sleeping next to Lois because he'd spent years having to do it while lost in space.
The story itself didn't do a lot for me, I think because it ends up feeling very long.
August 24, 2024
The concept of this book was one that had me really excited to read it. The execution didn’t quite live up to my expectations. There were parts of this book that really made me want to give it four stars. They were parts that I found really enjoyable and parts that I thought showed off Superman‘s best features throughout the story. This story features hope in a couple different ways, which is what I look for in a Superman story, but in this instance, hope was still driving the story, and also Hope was helping drive the story. Three stars for this one because of the way the story ended. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t give me the emotional reaction in any direction that I look for in a Superman story.
February 17, 2025
I'm conflicted on how I feel about this one. I like the scope of the story and the art is very strong, with terrific pencils by Carlo Pagulayan. But the execution of the plot didn't quite work for me.
The premise is that Superman leaves Lois for 20 minutes to take care of an emergency. However, when he returns he is silent and shaken . . . and from his point of view, he has been gone for 20 years, lost deep in space.
The story is then told in a combination of Lois trying to help Cark come back to himself in the present and flashbacks showing what he went through during those 20 years. Basically, he found himself on an alien world he Christened "Kansas," where he tried to help a divided populace that continually rejected him. Oh, and he (maybe?) hooked up with an alien Green Lantern.
There are definitely some highlights (space dolphins! and I enjoyed everything with Lex!) but the plot is plodding and frustrating. I understand the commentary on having Superman stranded on a planet in the midst of a climate crisis that flat out refuses help. But it's quite a downer to read.
And why is Lois such a jerk in this? First she blames Bruce for what happened, even though it wasn't remotely his fault. Then when Diana visits to do her a favor Lois tells her: "I never liked you." What? Excuse me?
Also, I am not here for Clark cheating on Lois and hooking up with a random alien woman while stranded in space. (Or did he? They're depicted as making out on the variant cover of issue 5 but for the remainder of the book it dances around the question of exactly what their relationship was . . .)
I actually liked seeing Lois turn to Lex for help. Mostly because their back-and-forth was so entertaining. However, Clark constantly fantasizing about murdering Lex Luthor? Uh . . . no. Some of those sequences were pretty amusing, though. I thought at first that it was Lex having recurring nightmares or intrusive thoughts, perhaps regretting his 'giving Lois (fake) cancer' plan. But no, Clark confesses to (Kara's) therapist that they are his "fantasies," which just doesn't sit right with me.
Also, the weird time travel duplicate ending for resolution of the disparate plot threads (finding a way to appease Lois and save the other planet) felt very convenient. It also left me questioning how much this Clark even cares about Lois, when he can just abandon her like that but morally justify it to himself by sending another version of himself back to her. I mean it's just a weird vibe.
Lex telling Lois: "You and I should have matching jackets made. Funny hats." was pretty good, though.
So, all in all, a mixed bag.
The premise is that Superman leaves Lois for 20 minutes to take care of an emergency. However, when he returns he is silent and shaken . . . and from his point of view, he has been gone for 20 years, lost deep in space.
The story is then told in a combination of Lois trying to help Cark come back to himself in the present and flashbacks showing what he went through during those 20 years. Basically, he found himself on an alien world he Christened "Kansas," where he tried to help a divided populace that continually rejected him. Oh, and he (maybe?) hooked up with an alien Green Lantern.
There are definitely some highlights (space dolphins! and I enjoyed everything with Lex!) but the plot is plodding and frustrating. I understand the commentary on having Superman stranded on a planet in the midst of a climate crisis that flat out refuses help. But it's quite a downer to read.
And why is Lois such a jerk in this? First she blames Bruce for what happened, even though it wasn't remotely his fault. Then when Diana visits to do her a favor Lois tells her: "I never liked you." What? Excuse me?
Also, I am not here for Clark cheating on Lois and hooking up with a random alien woman while stranded in space. (Or did he? They're depicted as making out on the variant cover of issue 5 but for the remainder of the book it dances around the question of exactly what their relationship was . . .)
I actually liked seeing Lois turn to Lex for help. Mostly because their back-and-forth was so entertaining. However, Clark constantly fantasizing about murdering Lex Luthor? Uh . . . no. Some of those sequences were pretty amusing, though. I thought at first that it was Lex having recurring nightmares or intrusive thoughts, perhaps regretting his 'giving Lois (fake) cancer' plan. But no, Clark confesses to (Kara's) therapist that they are his "fantasies," which just doesn't sit right with me.
Also, the weird time travel duplicate ending for resolution of the disparate plot threads (finding a way to appease Lois and save the other planet) felt very convenient. It also left me questioning how much this Clark even cares about Lois, when he can just abandon her like that but morally justify it to himself by sending another version of himself back to her. I mean it's just a weird vibe.
Lex telling Lois: "You and I should have matching jackets made. Funny hats." was pretty good, though.
So, all in all, a mixed bag.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
Jeg er normalt ikke til Supermantegneserier. Han er en af de superhelte der aldrig rigtigt har fanget min interesse, men efter jeg læste Tom Kings "Supergirl - Woman of tomorrow" og den overraskede mig positivt, så tænkte jeg, at jeg ville give "Superman Lost" en chance. Jeg har ikke læst noget af Christopher Priest før, så den her serie var dobbelt-up på fremmede territorie for mig.
Jeg er meget begejstret for Superman Lost. Udover at den er en spændende historie, med masser af overraskende gæsteoptrædener af andre superhelte (jeg spoiler ingen her) så er den også en tegneserie der tør takle lidt mere voksne emner end mange andre superheltetegneserier gør.
Lost handler om at fare vild i sit liv, men også om utroskab.
Starten og midten af tegneserien er klart det bedste. Henimod slutningen og især i det sidste issue går det (for) stærkt. Men det er næsten også min eneste indvending. Artworket af Carlo Pagulayan er virkelig fedt.
DC har gang i noget godt med de af deres superheltetegneserier der tør gå lidt mere ind i voksne temaer end hvad normalen er for genren.
Klar anbefaling til den voksne læser, der ikke lader sig slå ud af lidt science fiction mumbo-jumbo og har hang til superhelte.
Jeg er meget begejstret for Superman Lost. Udover at den er en spændende historie, med masser af overraskende gæsteoptrædener af andre superhelte (jeg spoiler ingen her) så er den også en tegneserie der tør takle lidt mere voksne emner end mange andre superheltetegneserier gør.
Lost handler om at fare vild i sit liv, men også om utroskab.
Starten og midten af tegneserien er klart det bedste. Henimod slutningen og især i det sidste issue går det (for) stærkt. Men det er næsten også min eneste indvending. Artworket af Carlo Pagulayan er virkelig fedt.
DC har gang i noget godt med de af deres superheltetegneserier der tør gå lidt mere ind i voksne temaer end hvad normalen er for genren.
Klar anbefaling til den voksne læser, der ikke lader sig slå ud af lidt science fiction mumbo-jumbo og har hang til superhelte.
January 22, 2025
Great premise. Weird ending.
July 10, 2025
Superman: Lost is one of the more unique Superman stories I have read. It’s clearly an Elseworlds book, and Superman is put through it in ways I have never seen done before. It’s pretty heavy stuff. There’s some cool Interstellar-style science fiction, and some exciting twists and turns. But, it didn’t quite stick the landing for me though. Incredible art throughout.
February 11, 2024
Christopher Priest, l'un des premiers auteurs noirs de Marvel/DC, sort de sa retraite après 20 ans de quasi mutisme pour nous offrir ce Superman tout frais.
(Rien à voir, donc, avec l'excellent auteur de science-fiction du même nom décédé la semaine dernière.)
L'histoire est apparemment simple : un jour, Superman embrasse Lois Lane avant de partir en mission. Quand il revient, quelques heures plus tard, 20 ans se sont passés pour lui.
La BD alterne donc entre 1- ce qui s'est passé pendant ces 20 ans. Et 2- Lane qui tente d'aider un Clark Kent plutôt amoché psychologiquement.
C'est un comic sans vilain ni baston, donc. On explore en profondeur la psyché de Superman et de Lois Lane. Dans leurs doutes et leur amour.
Dans 1-, on voit Superman qui débarque sur une planète dont le soleil rouge (qui supprime ses pouvoirs) menace de devenir une supernova qui tuera tout le monde. Superman promet de retourner sur Terre pour aller chercher de l'aide pour sauver la population.
Dans 2-, Superman, de retour sur Terre ne sait pas comment retrouver la planète qu'il doit sauver. L'idée qu'il brise sa promesse, qu'il abandonne des milliards de personnes à leur sort le met en dépression. Il se réveille la nuit et réalise qu'il oublie de respirer. Parce qu'il a dû retenir son souffle pendant 20 ans, seul, dans l'espace.
Lane en est au point de demander de l'aide à Lex Luthor, pour sortir Kent de son état.
Oh, et la fin est vraiment... Quelque chose qui laisse méditatif, disons.
Vraiment un retour en force pour Christopher Priest.
(Rien à voir, donc, avec l'excellent auteur de science-fiction du même nom décédé la semaine dernière.)
L'histoire est apparemment simple : un jour, Superman embrasse Lois Lane avant de partir en mission. Quand il revient, quelques heures plus tard, 20 ans se sont passés pour lui.
La BD alterne donc entre 1- ce qui s'est passé pendant ces 20 ans. Et 2- Lane qui tente d'aider un Clark Kent plutôt amoché psychologiquement.
C'est un comic sans vilain ni baston, donc. On explore en profondeur la psyché de Superman et de Lois Lane. Dans leurs doutes et leur amour.
Dans 1-, on voit Superman qui débarque sur une planète dont le soleil rouge (qui supprime ses pouvoirs) menace de devenir une supernova qui tuera tout le monde. Superman promet de retourner sur Terre pour aller chercher de l'aide pour sauver la population.
Dans 2-, Superman, de retour sur Terre ne sait pas comment retrouver la planète qu'il doit sauver. L'idée qu'il brise sa promesse, qu'il abandonne des milliards de personnes à leur sort le met en dépression. Il se réveille la nuit et réalise qu'il oublie de respirer. Parce qu'il a dû retenir son souffle pendant 20 ans, seul, dans l'espace.
Lane en est au point de demander de l'aide à Lex Luthor, pour sortir Kent de son état.
Oh, et la fin est vraiment... Quelque chose qui laisse méditatif, disons.
Vraiment un retour en force pour Christopher Priest.
July 20, 2025
I'd like to preface this review stating that I don't read superman books and I've only seen him in events or appearances in Batman, Flash, etc. I picked this up because it felt contained and I don't need a lot of background reading. If you know Lois, Supergirl, Lex Luthor, and what Superman stands for, you're all good!
This book focuses on the word "Lost" in two senses. One being that Clark was literally lost in space for 20 years and the other being that he was mentally and emotionally lost when he made it back home. The story flipped back and forth between present time and flashbacks in space; I thought the pacing was decent.
The lines and colours are great! The space backgrounds are stunning, action scenes feel punchy, and the general detail is great!
This feels like Christopher Priest is happy to write superman's dialogue accurately to the character, but when it came to Lois and Lex, things seemed a little off. Nothing massive, but sometimes I was thinking "would they say that?", "would they do that?" And that's coming from someone who doesn't read Superman books.
I enjoyed the premise and how Priest wanted to uniquely explore Superman. But when you look deeper, you can spot the odd issue or two.
This book focuses on the word "Lost" in two senses. One being that Clark was literally lost in space for 20 years and the other being that he was mentally and emotionally lost when he made it back home. The story flipped back and forth between present time and flashbacks in space; I thought the pacing was decent.
The lines and colours are great! The space backgrounds are stunning, action scenes feel punchy, and the general detail is great!
This feels like Christopher Priest is happy to write superman's dialogue accurately to the character, but when it came to Lois and Lex, things seemed a little off. Nothing massive, but sometimes I was thinking "would they say that?", "would they do that?" And that's coming from someone who doesn't read Superman books.
I enjoyed the premise and how Priest wanted to uniquely explore Superman. But when you look deeper, you can spot the odd issue or two.
September 15, 2024
3,5! Keine Ahnung, wann ich zuletzt vier Wochen an einem Comic(band) gelesen habe. (Noch nie!) Der Plot dieser Superman-Story ist spannend - die Umsetzung herausfordernd. Und vielleicht nicht gerade ideal zum Mal-eben-weglesen. Das hier ist ein Epos, der abenteuerliche, philosophische und existenzialistische Aspekte in den Kern der Geschichte rückt. Also vielleicht liegt’s an mir, weil ich in den vergangenen Wochen nicht aufnahmefähig war oder die Geschichte ist wirklich sperrig. Ich werde es herausfinden, wenn ich die Geschichte irgendwann ein zweites Mal lese.
October 6, 2024
Going from "this is awesome!" to "this is childish..." from issue to issue is the way I would describe this. Great idea and concept (I love Superman in space) that at times is really well executed and then a silly story element ruins it. I think it's still worth a read, but if you have a lot of reading on you, you'll want to curse at times.
February 14, 2025
So, Christopher Priest.
Priest’s been kind of a secret weapon in superhero comics for decades at this point. IYKYK. That kind of thing. He never really had that one project that you could point to and say, “That’s his masterwork.”
Until now.
Superman is kind of the same way. Unlike Batman, with a whole catalog, at this point, of masterwork stories, Superman is still best known for being, well, Superman. There are great Superman stories, sure. But there was never really a Superman story the way there were great Batman stories. It was always going to be a bigger challenge, understanding the scope of who, and what, Superman is.
Priest did that. Because the scope is so big, when these comics were released in single issue, it was too difficult for the average reader to even begin to comprehend. These kinds of stories, if they were released, simply, as graphic novels, they might have a better chance at being understood. In increments they’re viewed incrementally. And these are the stories that need to be understood as what they’re accomplishing, at what they’re trying to say.
When Superman: Lost was solicited, it seemed straightforward enough. Priest, though, didn’t tell it in a straightforward fashion. It wasn’t simply, Superman returns after being gone a long time and has a hard time readjusting. It wasn’t just that Lee Weeks alternate cover of Superman in despair in his apartment.
It turned out to be a whole meditation. On hope. On what Superman represents. And how difficult it is to find it.
You may have noticed, this day and age, we have very little hope. We’re generations away from some of the worst events in human history, not just what the Nazis did during WWII, but what Americans did to end the war against the Japanese. We still haven’t fully processed either one. We spent decades in proxy wars between the two surviving superpowers. The fallout has been out of control. Utterly. Eventually we just lost hope of ever emerging from it.
So that’s where readers are. Superman: Lost is the first time a Superman comic, or any superhero comic, tackled this modern despair, this lack of hope.
Priest weaves a tapestry involving a mysterious alien spaceship, a world governed in the style of modern social media, a Green Lantern who has no idea they’re a Green Lantern, a politician who abruptly resigns, a Lois Lane attempting to find out why, a Lex Luthor who attempts to leverage, as he always does, all this to his advantage, and, well, a Superman who is lost. But who never gives up hope.
“A” Superman. Heh. This time, I’m pretty sure I figured that part out.
It’s so brilliant. I confess I haven’t actually read all that much Priest. The closest I see parallel to any of this is his Black Adam (which, shamefully, I haven’t finished reading), which he wrote in the same general time period. Maybe he’s got other stuff that’s comparable. Or maybe this is a culmination point, Priest at last reaching his full potential.
Which is awe-inspiring. This is what Grant Morrison so desperately wanted to accomplish in All-Star Superman. This is basically the Superman Stuart Immonen believed in, wanted so much to have written, or at least drawn (and his work is the closest to this achievement there was before it).
This is Superman’s Iliad, his Odyssey. This is a lasting testament. You can point to this as a definitive story.
It is, in short, great.
Priest’s been kind of a secret weapon in superhero comics for decades at this point. IYKYK. That kind of thing. He never really had that one project that you could point to and say, “That’s his masterwork.”
Until now.
Superman is kind of the same way. Unlike Batman, with a whole catalog, at this point, of masterwork stories, Superman is still best known for being, well, Superman. There are great Superman stories, sure. But there was never really a Superman story the way there were great Batman stories. It was always going to be a bigger challenge, understanding the scope of who, and what, Superman is.
Priest did that. Because the scope is so big, when these comics were released in single issue, it was too difficult for the average reader to even begin to comprehend. These kinds of stories, if they were released, simply, as graphic novels, they might have a better chance at being understood. In increments they’re viewed incrementally. And these are the stories that need to be understood as what they’re accomplishing, at what they’re trying to say.
When Superman: Lost was solicited, it seemed straightforward enough. Priest, though, didn’t tell it in a straightforward fashion. It wasn’t simply, Superman returns after being gone a long time and has a hard time readjusting. It wasn’t just that Lee Weeks alternate cover of Superman in despair in his apartment.
It turned out to be a whole meditation. On hope. On what Superman represents. And how difficult it is to find it.
You may have noticed, this day and age, we have very little hope. We’re generations away from some of the worst events in human history, not just what the Nazis did during WWII, but what Americans did to end the war against the Japanese. We still haven’t fully processed either one. We spent decades in proxy wars between the two surviving superpowers. The fallout has been out of control. Utterly. Eventually we just lost hope of ever emerging from it.
So that’s where readers are. Superman: Lost is the first time a Superman comic, or any superhero comic, tackled this modern despair, this lack of hope.
Priest weaves a tapestry involving a mysterious alien spaceship, a world governed in the style of modern social media, a Green Lantern who has no idea they’re a Green Lantern, a politician who abruptly resigns, a Lois Lane attempting to find out why, a Lex Luthor who attempts to leverage, as he always does, all this to his advantage, and, well, a Superman who is lost. But who never gives up hope.
“A” Superman. Heh. This time, I’m pretty sure I figured that part out.
It’s so brilliant. I confess I haven’t actually read all that much Priest. The closest I see parallel to any of this is his Black Adam (which, shamefully, I haven’t finished reading), which he wrote in the same general time period. Maybe he’s got other stuff that’s comparable. Or maybe this is a culmination point, Priest at last reaching his full potential.
Which is awe-inspiring. This is what Grant Morrison so desperately wanted to accomplish in All-Star Superman. This is basically the Superman Stuart Immonen believed in, wanted so much to have written, or at least drawn (and his work is the closest to this achievement there was before it).
This is Superman’s Iliad, his Odyssey. This is a lasting testament. You can point to this as a definitive story.
It is, in short, great.
August 10, 2024
Obra rodeada de un «hype» difícilmente comprensible, hay que reconocer que Superman: Perdido tiene buenas ideas a espuertas, pero, lamentablemente, es incapaz de llevarlas a buen puerto.
La idea inicial, la de un Superman perdido en el espacio que, de alguna manera, logra llegar a casa apenas unas horas después de marcharse desde el punto de vista de Lois, pero veinte años desde el de Clark, y el trauma que le han causado las misteriosas experiencias pasadas durante su periplo, es, más que buena, excelente; el desarrollo de la misma es harina de otro costal: un Lex Luthor divertido, diabólico incluso, pero absolutamente predecible; una Green Lantern que no tiene ni idea de cómo funciona el cuerpo al que pertenece y la manera en la que Kal no es que perdone, es que le importa un pito la atrocidad que comete con perfecto conocimiento de lo que hace; el absurdo cabreo de Lois con Batman, al que culpa de lo ocurrido nadie sabe por qué... y, sobre todo, el final, innecesariamente complicado y, una vez adecuadamente asimilado por el lector, completamente carente de sentido. Todo esto (y mucho más que me dejo en el tintero) hace de esta historia poco más que un «Elseworlds» (o sea, un relato alternativo) con ínfulas, cuando, con algo más de maña, habría podido resultar una aportación interesante al mito del kriptoniano.
Desde luego, no todo en la serie es negativo: los primeros episodios, de hecho, se leen con mucho interés, aunque a partir del cuarto más o menos pierde fuelle a velocidad de vértigo. Lo que nunca pierde fuelle es el gran trabajo a los lápices de Carlo Pagulayan, miembro del ilustre contingente comiquero del que siempre ha hecho gala Filipinas. Es este, sin duda, su mejor trabajo, y los pocos episodios en los que deja las tareas artísticas en manos de otros (como en las del siempre mediocre Dan Jurgens) no hacen sino resaltar el buen hacer del filipino.
En definitiva, un «quiero y no puedo» que no carece de interés, pero que no merece el «hype» que en su día originó.
La idea inicial, la de un Superman perdido en el espacio que, de alguna manera, logra llegar a casa apenas unas horas después de marcharse desde el punto de vista de Lois, pero veinte años desde el de Clark, y el trauma que le han causado las misteriosas experiencias pasadas durante su periplo, es, más que buena, excelente; el desarrollo de la misma es harina de otro costal: un Lex Luthor divertido, diabólico incluso, pero absolutamente predecible; una Green Lantern que no tiene ni idea de cómo funciona el cuerpo al que pertenece y la manera en la que Kal no es que perdone, es que le importa un pito la atrocidad que comete con perfecto conocimiento de lo que hace; el absurdo cabreo de Lois con Batman, al que culpa de lo ocurrido nadie sabe por qué... y, sobre todo, el final, innecesariamente complicado y, una vez adecuadamente asimilado por el lector, completamente carente de sentido. Todo esto (y mucho más que me dejo en el tintero) hace de esta historia poco más que un «Elseworlds» (o sea, un relato alternativo) con ínfulas, cuando, con algo más de maña, habría podido resultar una aportación interesante al mito del kriptoniano.
Desde luego, no todo en la serie es negativo: los primeros episodios, de hecho, se leen con mucho interés, aunque a partir del cuarto más o menos pierde fuelle a velocidad de vértigo. Lo que nunca pierde fuelle es el gran trabajo a los lápices de Carlo Pagulayan, miembro del ilustre contingente comiquero del que siempre ha hecho gala Filipinas. Es este, sin duda, su mejor trabajo, y los pocos episodios en los que deja las tareas artísticas en manos de otros (como en las del siempre mediocre Dan Jurgens) no hacen sino resaltar el buen hacer del filipino.
En definitiva, un «quiero y no puedo» que no carece de interés, pero que no merece el «hype» que en su día originó.
October 28, 2024
Christopher Priest and Carlo Pagulayan team up to spin a tale of love and loss with the ten-part series Superman: Lost. A League mission in international waters uncovers an alien ship beneath the waves. Emitting singularities, Superman enters the vessel in hopes of shutting it down. Though successful, he is flung light years from Earth into a desolate area of space. Encounters with scavengers and a pod of space dolphins land him on a planet similar to Earth. Unable to leave due to his diminishing abilities, Superman opts to unite the various races despite their differences. The sudden arrival of a rookie Green Lantern further complicates matters, as her own fears and jealousy cost Kal-El a chance to go home. Eventually jettisoned back home via Adam Strange and his Zeta Beam, Clark must contend with having been gone for twenty years time - yet only a day has passed on Earth. Lois, Lex, and the League must now help Superman rediscover himself before he becomes truly lost within his own temporal trauma. Christopher Priest pens a fun science fiction saga that blends the wacky adventures of the early comics with the gravitas of modern storytelling. His Superman is the eternal optimist willing to see the good in everyone, often to a fault, and shines as an embodiment of heroism. His Lois is a strong-willed woman with a cut-rate mind, and his diabolical Luthor is a pathetic narcissist oozing with creepy charm. Yet the overarching story is undercut by time travel shenanigans that naturally return the universe to status quo; as such the book is reduced to an afterthought of a great idea. Carlo Pagulayan deftly handles his pencils, tackling alien races, facial expressions, multiple landscapes, and action sequences with aplomb. Superman: Lost tells a brilliant tale, butit climactic ending fails to see the forest through the trees.
November 3, 2024
Priest is a writer that almost always lands awkwardly with me. Often incorporating fascinating ideas only to discard the fruit half-squeezed, dialoguing characters in a way that blurs fiction and the writer’s reality, plotting scattered, jumping from one point to another haphazardly like a connect-the-dots that just mostly looks like a giraffe or whatever at the end (this last part seems stylistically intentional).
But this story clicked. Maybe I’m getting used to his style, or maybe it was just that this story arc resonated with me in particular. Either way, this was enthralling beginning to end.
Questions are raised and mostly answered, but in their own time. The story on paper feels classic DC-cosmic-romp with ridiculous stakes and unfathomable circumstances, but where previously those adventures were treated the same as a run of the mill bank robbery, I feel that Priest successfully dug into the emotional depth of Superman being lost so far out in space, that by the time he returned to Earth, he lived a lifetime and is irreversibly traumatized as a result.
The art is good and effectively reflects the emotion in each scene, be it the solemnity of spacial blackness or the dissociation that hangs on the characters desperate to return to the status quo.
Some may complain about the ending, but given the situation I think it’s the only way it could have ended (mostly because it’s published by DC, and subsequently has to follow “rules”). I would have been fascinated by a longer continuation and eventual conclusion for this arc, but I’ve come to accept why I can’t have one.
If you want a self-contained Superman space story that leans into brain over braun and introspection over fisticuffs, this is well worth a read.
But this story clicked. Maybe I’m getting used to his style, or maybe it was just that this story arc resonated with me in particular. Either way, this was enthralling beginning to end.
Questions are raised and mostly answered, but in their own time. The story on paper feels classic DC-cosmic-romp with ridiculous stakes and unfathomable circumstances, but where previously those adventures were treated the same as a run of the mill bank robbery, I feel that Priest successfully dug into the emotional depth of Superman being lost so far out in space, that by the time he returned to Earth, he lived a lifetime and is irreversibly traumatized as a result.
The art is good and effectively reflects the emotion in each scene, be it the solemnity of spacial blackness or the dissociation that hangs on the characters desperate to return to the status quo.
Some may complain about the ending, but given the situation I think it’s the only way it could have ended (mostly because it’s published by DC, and subsequently has to follow “rules”). I would have been fascinated by a longer continuation and eventual conclusion for this arc, but I’ve come to accept why I can’t have one.
If you want a self-contained Superman space story that leans into brain over braun and introspection over fisticuffs, this is well worth a read.
January 1, 2025
I heard some people saying this comic was awesome, but it is not great.
The story and art are OK.
But parts of the plot were too convoluted or exaggerated to force a drama on the reader.
Spoilers.
In my opinion, the issue with the alien planet should be the story's main focus. It is there where we see the great conflict for Superman. But instead, the writer solves it quickly to focus on the Louis Lane drama that is pretty lame.
Her investigation on that senator? Boring.
Her going to Luthor for help and falling for a silly trap?
Meanwhile, Superman has already come back from space and is kind of "out" because he couldn't solve there the same kind of problems we have here on Earth and he also can't solve them.
Not only that, but he intentionally doesn't intervene with those issues.
It is just dumb.
I don't read monthly comics for years now and from what I see, this story is not a stand-alone, it probably was published in or along with the regular storyline, so it is too contaminated by other dumb stuff, like Louis Lane's plot.
I never liked Superman's regular comics because the character doesn't work on any story. He is too overpowered and needs specific plots to give us anything but him quickly solving anything, or being nerfed so he has some difficulty solving something that otherwise he would solve in no time.
Superman Lost is actually a lost opportunity on a really interesting story that could make the character reflect on his non-intervention policy on Earth, free will and his will to help those in need, meanwhile having to figure out how to go back to Earth and wondering if it would ever be possible or how would Earth dwell without him.
The story and art are OK.
But parts of the plot were too convoluted or exaggerated to force a drama on the reader.
Spoilers.
In my opinion, the issue with the alien planet should be the story's main focus. It is there where we see the great conflict for Superman. But instead, the writer solves it quickly to focus on the Louis Lane drama that is pretty lame.
Her investigation on that senator? Boring.
Her going to Luthor for help and falling for a silly trap?
Meanwhile, Superman has already come back from space and is kind of "out" because he couldn't solve there the same kind of problems we have here on Earth and he also can't solve them.
Not only that, but he intentionally doesn't intervene with those issues.
It is just dumb.
I don't read monthly comics for years now and from what I see, this story is not a stand-alone, it probably was published in or along with the regular storyline, so it is too contaminated by other dumb stuff, like Louis Lane's plot.
I never liked Superman's regular comics because the character doesn't work on any story. He is too overpowered and needs specific plots to give us anything but him quickly solving anything, or being nerfed so he has some difficulty solving something that otherwise he would solve in no time.
Superman Lost is actually a lost opportunity on a really interesting story that could make the character reflect on his non-intervention policy on Earth, free will and his will to help those in need, meanwhile having to figure out how to go back to Earth and wondering if it would ever be possible or how would Earth dwell without him.
February 5, 2024
The good? The art and the premise are engaging. The bad? A spectacularly boring and convoluted slog of a story. A complete and utter lack of subtelty when addressing things like climate change and derision with the planet "Kansas" which is a half baked allegory for earth. it might as well have just been earth. The ugly? the end. Superman impregnanting some Alien green lantern and sending a random old version of himself back floating through space was completely asinine. The weirdest part is, I'm not even 100% sure if thats what happened and it was a clone she was pregnant with but im pretty sure supes confirms its not. Maybe it works better on a re-read, but I am not gonna be the one to find out. The plot line that I was almost interested in was Lois being given cancer by Lex to snap Clark out of it. but then lex just has a cure for cancer lmaooo. But the way we discover this is HYSTERICAL! Lex gives her cancer, she thinks he is bluffing, she goes to the doctor and confirms it. Then later she says to him "either you have a cure because you were so close to me you had to be exposed too OR you lied and I never really had it". and Lex goes "ahhhh ya got me here's the cure" and i'm like bro WHAT! What do you mean "or you were lying and I never really got it" HOME GIRL YOU WENT TO THE DOCTOR YOURSELF AND CONFIRMED IT. Why would Lex be so stupid to pay any kind of heed to your logic when the shit you are saying makes absolutely no sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2024
This more of a 3.5 to be honest, just could not bring myself to give it a 4. Because of that ending. 😢
It started very well. Dude missing for 20 years in his own mind, but merely a day in the minds of the folks he left on Earth. How does he adapt? How do those folks adapt to him? He looks physically the same, but this is a man that has aged considerably in the 20 years he knows he has been missing, especially aged with loneliness.
Story progressed very well. Dude was literally an alien now in his own home. There was hard scifi talk of space dilation and whatnots, there was this very old dude who looked like he was going to punch Clark out of the pages of the comic the first time we meet him, there were all theses aliens that remind us that no matter how similar we all are, we're all still alien to each other, there was Luthor being Luthor, there was Hope, Hope being a seeming saviour, Hope being lost, Hope in a shower...
Ok. Pull it together.
Anyways, before I got sidetracked by Hope, this was a good story that progressed nicely until the last issue. To be brutally realistic to myself, it sometimes feel like it kinda had to end that way, but, I still think it was a cop-out and not entirely satisfying.
I guess it's titled Lost for a reason.
Or, like K said, it probably was all just about Hope in the end.
It started very well. Dude missing for 20 years in his own mind, but merely a day in the minds of the folks he left on Earth. How does he adapt? How do those folks adapt to him? He looks physically the same, but this is a man that has aged considerably in the 20 years he knows he has been missing, especially aged with loneliness.
Story progressed very well. Dude was literally an alien now in his own home. There was hard scifi talk of space dilation and whatnots, there was this very old dude who looked like he was going to punch Clark out of the pages of the comic the first time we meet him, there were all theses aliens that remind us that no matter how similar we all are, we're all still alien to each other, there was Luthor being Luthor, there was Hope, Hope being a seeming saviour, Hope being lost, Hope in a shower...
Ok. Pull it together.
Anyways, before I got sidetracked by Hope, this was a good story that progressed nicely until the last issue. To be brutally realistic to myself, it sometimes feel like it kinda had to end that way, but, I still think it was a cop-out and not entirely satisfying.
I guess it's titled Lost for a reason.
Or, like K said, it probably was all just about Hope in the end.
April 1, 2024
When 20 minutes gone are actually 20 years...
Superman. Lost(?)
It's a timey-wimey relativistic story with Superman rushing to shut down a singularity powered spaceship. If he fails to do so, it'll probably tear the Earth apart. OH NO! The worst happens and the ship is gone...and Clark Kent with it. Batman flies back to Metropolis to tell Lois, only to find Superman silent and staring off into space.
It's taken him 20 years to get home...
The rest of the book fills in the blanks. We see him try and readjust to Earth after decades away from his friends and family. He spent time in space on a planet SO far away from Earth that there was no easy way home. Faster than light travel would mess up his timeline and just...flying home would take 100's, if not 1000's of years.
----
Time travel, Superman, and outer space...
Three things that don't usually mix in Superman comics lately (besides the Warworld bit)
This was hard to wrap my brain around at times, but ultimately was about the right length. It seemed to jump a little quick to an ending that just closed the door on the whole thing. Other than that abrupt bit, it was great. Soon to be a modern classic?
Bonus: You know this is the same guy who wrote 'The Prestige', right?
Bonus Bonus: Feels like this should be a Black Label title... continuity seems...off...
Superman. Lost(?)
It's a timey-wimey relativistic story with Superman rushing to shut down a singularity powered spaceship. If he fails to do so, it'll probably tear the Earth apart. OH NO! The worst happens and the ship is gone...and Clark Kent with it. Batman flies back to Metropolis to tell Lois, only to find Superman silent and staring off into space.
It's taken him 20 years to get home...
The rest of the book fills in the blanks. We see him try and readjust to Earth after decades away from his friends and family. He spent time in space on a planet SO far away from Earth that there was no easy way home. Faster than light travel would mess up his timeline and just...flying home would take 100's, if not 1000's of years.
----
Time travel, Superman, and outer space...
Three things that don't usually mix in Superman comics lately (besides the Warworld bit)
This was hard to wrap my brain around at times, but ultimately was about the right length. It seemed to jump a little quick to an ending that just closed the door on the whole thing. Other than that abrupt bit, it was great. Soon to be a modern classic?
Bonus: You know this is the same guy who wrote 'The Prestige', right?
Bonus Bonus: Feels like this should be a Black Label title... continuity seems...off...
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